Sexual? Of course. Romantic? This is another thing.
Keith Davidson— the lawyer who negotiated a secret settlement for Stormy Daniels over the affair she says she had with Donald Trump — continued his testimony Thursday at the former president’s criminal trial in Manhattan.
Under questioning by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, Davidson discussed two statements Daniels made in January 2018. At that time, the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles about the porn star’s affair with Trump, and the contract that she had signed. designed to silence her before the 2016 presidential election.
At the recommendation of Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, Davidson wrote a “categorical denial” on Daniels’ behalf, which would deny the existence of a secrecy agreement as well as the affair itself.
Daniels put his signature on the letter published on January 10, 2018 – but Davison said he wrote it himself.
“TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN: I recently became aware that some media outlets are alleging that I had a sexual and/or romantic affair with Donald Trump many, many years ago,” the statement begins. “I say very clearly that this is absolutely false.”
Davidson testified Thursday that “an extremely strict reading of that statement would be technically true” based on how he would analyze “affair,” “romantic” and “and/or.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever claimed that any interaction between her and Mr. Trump was romantic,” Davidson said, drawing laughter in the court overflow room.
Such letters, Davidson explained, served as a “tactic” for lawyers arguing with the press to try to distract them from a story.
Asked by Steinglass whether there had been “a sexual relationship” between Daniels and Trump, Davidson said he thought so.
“That’s what I understood,” he said.
Davidson also said the denial of rumors that Daniels “received hush money” from Trump was also true, as he would “never use that word.”
“There was no hush money. It was a consideration in a civil settlement agreement,” Davidson said.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office accused Trump of violating criminal record-keeping laws 34 times by concealing reimbursements to Cohen, who paid the hush money to Daniels on Trump’s behalf.
Former US President Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly concealing secret money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. MARK PETERSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and placed the blame on Cohen, saying he arranged the payments.
Davidson testified Thursday about the chaotic atmosphere surrounding the hush agreement. Cohen repeatedly pushed back payment deadlines before the 2016 election, he said. And on election night, when the results showed Trump winning the presidency, Davidson was surprised.
“What have we done?” Davidson texted National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard on election night.
The deal between Trump and Daniels remained dormant until early 2018, when the Journal prepared to publish its stories revealing the scandal to the public. Cohen worked all hours to try to keep the story under control, sending text messages “without worrying about my schedule,” Davidson testified.
When the 2018 State of the Union address took place on Jan. 30, Daniels saw an opportunity to reinvigorate her career as an adult film actress and director, he said.
She was to appear on the show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Cohen insisted that Daniels issue another statement, with a further denial of the affair.
Davidson wrote the statement with Daniels in the Marilyn Monroe Suite at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which Kimmel’s production team reserved for his team. He was referring to an “alleged sexual relationship” with Trump.
“I do not deny this matter because I received hush money, as reported by foreign tabloids,” the statement read. “I deny this affair because it never happened.”
Davidson explained Thursday that he believed that statement to be “technically true” because of how he personally defined “relationship.”
“I don’t think anyone has ever claimed that there was a relationship between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump,” he said. “I believe a relationship is an ongoing interaction.”
Daniels retracted both statements later in 2018, saying she agreed to them only because of the nondisclosure agreement and felt she had no choice but to make them.
She also previously said that her interactions with Trump were neither “romantic” nor “loving.”
“It wasn’t romantic,” she said at another trial. “I don’t consider getting stuck coming out of the bathroom to be an affair.”
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